


Daddy's Girl

by MxMacabre (Jacque_le_Prince)



Series: Daddy's Girl [1]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Asian Character(s), Bisexual Female Character, Black Character(s), Card Games, Character(s) of Color, F/F, Female Friendship, Female Relationships, Female-Centric, Gambling, Indian Character, Irony, Lesbian Character of Color, Multiple Endings, Native American Character(s), Secrets, Teen Romance, Visual Novel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-05-04 20:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14600751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacque_le_Prince/pseuds/MxMacabre
Summary: [This is meant to be a visual novel, but because I can't make one, I'm publishing a written story in the style of a visual novel.]Your daughter, Tawny, is starting a new semester of high school. She makes a lot of new friends, all of which have single dads like yourself. Something tells you that the following two weeks will be very interesting. (inspired by Dream Daddy)





	1. General Route: Monday, August 20th

**Author's Note:**

> I've been sitting on this plot for a few years now, but I just didn't know how to format it. When I caught a glimpse Dream Daddy, I decided on the dating simulator/visual novel aesthetic. However, because I can't make an actual game, I'm just writing this in the style of one. As an intended visual novel, this story will be very dialogue heavy, contain less scene transitions, be sectioned into routes with different endings, and have a unique style of narration. I hope you enjoy (and heed the warnings in the Author's Notes, please! I'll progressively add them to avoid spoilers).

"Dad, Daddy, it's time to wake up…"

Tawny's voice lilted softly as she shook me by the shoulder. I would have pretended to have still been asleep so that she could leave me alone, but the savory, sweet aroma of bacon and waffles swam into my nostrils.

I instinctively swiped my tongue across my lower lip to prevent any drool from leaking, and I heard Tawny laughing. I opened my eyes in defeat since there was no use in trying to trick her anymore.

"I thought so! No one can resist the heavenly charm of a good stack of waffles," she gave me a wink as she set the expansive meal on the breakfast tray in front of me "Aren't you lucky to have a daughter who serves you breakfast in bed every morning?"

As always, there were two sets of meals for us, coupled with a pair of cups filled to the brim. On my plate was a nice stack of three waffles, the buttery syrup oozing into the bacon strips on the side. On her plate appeared to be a breakfast sandwich made of two waffles. I could see the white of an egg and the end of some bacon poking out of the back as she lifted it to her mouth. Turkey bacon, I bet. She always did prefer it over pork, not for any health benefits, but for the taste.

I tried to speak, but my mouth was painfully dry. Before I knew it, the plastic tip of the looped straw was brought to my lips and cold orange juice flooded my mouth. It was instant bliss.

Tawny happily hummed a tune she had been blasting on the radio for the past week. Lana Del Rey, I think. Pretty melancholy music for such a cheery girl.

She had a slight overbite, making her grin more bright and forward. Her tawny toned cheeks pushed up her round glasses whenever she smiled. It was funny. I never noticed that the color of her skin was the same color as her name: Tawny. I could have laughed at the coincidence, but there was a large amount of food in my mouth.

"Slow down, Dad. The food isn't going anywhere!" Tawny laughed "You remember how sick you got the last time you ate that fast, don't you?"

I remembered. It really wasn't a pretty picture, so I took caution and savored every bite. It was delicious, as always. Unfortunately, these wonderful breakfasts were now limited to the weekends since summer vacation ended a while ago.

Over my daughter's shoulder, I could see the portrait hanging on the wall. How long had it been since that picture was taken? Two years? Maybe three? Tawny looked like she was still back in middle school back then. Amber was still around back then, too.

Tawny met my eyes when she wiped her mouth and followed my gaze.

"Yeah, I miss Mom, too, sometimes," she said with a sad smile "But...wherever she is, I'm sure she's happy."

I could feel my full stomach drop at those words. I really did wish things would go back to the way they were.

Tawny began collecting our empty plates as she spoke again "Well, I've got to get a move on. Don't want to be late," she said.

"See you at three!" she landed a kiss on my cheek and bounced off of the bed, exiting the room.

Seven hours alone to my own devices; I didn't know whether to be grateful or mournful.

* * *

Summer was still present as ever. Autumn hadn't even considered stepping out of its cozy corner. Regardless, Tawny's school dress code heavily forbade a majority of her summer clothes. Anything that allowed the luxury of cooling off was off-limits for female students such as herself.

Tawny fluffed her thick, dark hair like a cape, attempting to release the humidity collecting on her back. Small sweat stains were already starting to dampen her golden shirt.

She clicked her tongue softly in annoyance. The driver's license she would earn this year would clear her of this nuisance.

Behind the bespectacled teen, a blue Sedan smoothly cruised just past her, the window rolling down. She didn't have much time to assess the situation before a familiar voice rose from the driver's seat.

"Looks like someone could use a lift."

The driver was Carter Johnson, a strawberry blond man with blue eyes that could, and did, make all of the local moms swoon. He was one of the few men that could pull off coral pink jeans using a rugged blue flannel. The way his cleft chin lifted up exuded confidence, but he still gave off an energy of humility.

Tawny shielded her eyes from the sun to get a better look. "Mr. Johnson?" she asked in wonder before gasping, "Oh my gosh, hi!"

The man chuckled at the girl's excitement "Long time, no see," he said as the back seat window rolled down, "We saw you walking along and decided to pull over."

The second component of the "we" revealed her face as she inclined her head out of the window. A girl bearing strong resemblance to Carter waved cheerily. "Good morning, Tawny!" she greeted.

"Rose…!" gasped Tawny.

The composed blonde opened the car door and scooted over to the next seat, beckoning Tawny over. "Come in, we'll carpool to school," she invited

Tawny was so caught in the return of her best friend that Carter's initial question flew in one ear and out of the other.

"Wait, you're going to Maple Bay?" she asked, "Like, up the hill, that way?"

Rose replied with a simple, "Yes," as Carter said, "That would be the one."

Tawny gleefully dove into the car with a satisfied, "Alright!"

As soon as the teen swung the door closed behind her, the crisp relief of the air conditioner wrapped around her being. She sighed contently as she leaned back against the chilly leather seat.

Observing this, Rose commented, "I bet this is a pleasant surprise, isn't it?"

"Yes!" confirmed Tawny with a hearty nod, "It's so good to finally see you again, Rose. School was so dull without you."

"I could say the same. Even with the phone calls, things felt pretty lonely at Saint Ange's."

Carter quirked a brow at Rose through the rearview mirror. "Oh really? I remember you being quite popular over there," he commented.

The daughter breathed a quick, "Yeah," and awkwardly cleared her throat before speaking again.

"Well, at least I don't have to wear uniforms, anymore," she redirected, "Keeping the same five outfits clean and ready for the next week was a chore, and they were hardly fit for the season."

Tawny pinched the fabric of Rose's skirt. "And this is?" she asked, "Seriously, how are you not burning up in this?"

The strawberry blonde was wearing a long-sleeved white blouse and a bubblegum pink skirt that reached her ankles, revealing a pair of champagne colored flats. Compared to Tawny, who was sweating just from wearing a T-shirt and a skirt that barely brushed against the tops of her knees, Rose seemed unbothered.

"It's a lightweight fabric," she answered, "It's actually a lot more comfy than typical summer clothes with thick, tight-fitting fabric."

"Looks like I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I go shopping," Tawny chimed, "This has been Fashion Life Hacks with Rose Johnson."

All three shared a laugh as the car pulled up to a red light.

As Carter patiently waited for the permission to go, he asked, "How's your father been, Tawny?"

"Pretty good, save for him turning into the perfect couch potato," she joked, "He won't admit it, but I know he just loves being pampered."

Carter's eyes briefly studied the roads before proceeding past the now green light. "Well, every man needs a good woman to take care of him," he said, "That's why I'm so grateful to have Rose around. It's tough for a single father, y'know? Daughters like you two are a real blessing."

The daugher in question flicked her hand in a soft wave. "Aw, I think you're giving me too much praise, Dad. All I do is clean and bake cookies. Anyone could do that."

Despite Rose's words, her cheeks were flushed pink from the embarrassment of Carter's flattery.

"Speaking of which, what kind are you making for the barbecue?" he asked.

"W-Wait, you wanted me to bake for that, too?"

Tawny smirked. "Ooh, what's the occasion?" she asked.

"Oh, it's not our barbecue. It's the church's," said Carter, "The pastor's son just graduated with a master's degree, and his birthday was last week, so we're all making a celebration."

"Which church is that?" asked Tawny.

The father furrowed his brow, as though that fact should have been known already. "Trinity," he said.

"Oh, you mean the Trinity Dash Church?" questioned Tawny.

"That would be the one," confirmed Carter, "Hey, since we brought it up, would you and your dad like to come with us? It's this Saturday at twelve."

"Yeah, that'd be great! Then Rose and I can really catch up."

Rose's previously hesitant expression perked back up at the claim. "Raspberry shortbread," she suddenly said, "I'll make raspberry shortbread for the barbecue. Something fruity would be refreshing for the hot weather."

Carter tapped his chin in thought. "Mmm, that would be really good with Mrs. Hopkins' tea. Heh, I'm getting hungry again," he chuckled.

The speed of the car slowed down as they approached the school campus. Students walked towards the front doors at speeds varying from a perky strut accompanied by friends to a reluctant slump dreading the work ahead. Many would pick up their pace when they reached the doors and felt a slither of cool air from the air conditioning inside.

Carter's Sedan joined the curved road of cars who were also dropping off their children.

"We can make it from here," said Rose, gripping her backpack strap.

"Yeah, you don't have to sit here sandwiched between these cars all morning," agreed Tawny.

Carter smiled. "You girls are so considerate," he said as he unlocked the door, "Have a good day!"

"Thanks, Dad!"

"You, too, Mr. Johnson!"

The girls shimmied out of the car, exposing themselves to the sun's harsh rays once again.

Tawny turned and regarded Rose, "Well Rose, is it home sweet home?"

The blonde chuckled, "I guess you could say that."

"I was being sarcastic," Tawny snorted, "No one actually wants to go to school."

Rose shrugged. "When you've been at Saint Ange's, a normal public school is a blessing."

"Was it really that bad?"

Tawny's question was honest and genuine, but something in Rose's expression grew tense and almost nervous.

"I mean, being in a boarding school is stressful," she said, "You don't get a chance to feel like you're really at home, you know? You're constantly in your work environment."

Tawny rolled her eyes at the description. "That really does sound like a nightmare," she said, "That's scarier than any horror movie I've seen."

Rose's laugh echoed slightly as they crossed the front doors, the air pressure at the threshold blowing back both teens' hair.

"Well hopefully, I'll be in one of your classes or your lunch period," said Rose as she began to walk towards one hallway, "Bye, Tawny!"

"See you later!"

The bespectacled girl traveled down another hallway, her backpack bouncing softly with each step. Her hand would occasionally fly up in a short wave to return a greeting from the students lining the hallway. The names of several female students flew past her lips, always following a brief "Hey," or "Hi,".

Upon reaching her locker, the teen kneeled down to retrieve what she would need for that day, or, at the very least, what she would need until she got another chance to visit her locker. She gathered a little stack in her hands and stood up to tap the locker closed with the tip of her sneaker. Immediately upon turning around, she bumped into someone.

Textbooks, notebooks, and binders clattered to the floor, loose paper slipping out of their clutches.

"Oh shit," said the second party involved, "I'm so sorry!"

Although surprised by the impact, Tawny casually said, "It's okay. It happens."

Both girls squatted to collect their belongings before any more students could carelessly step on them. All the while, the other girl muttered, "I really should've been watching where I was going, and not walking so close to the lockers. I'm sorry, I should've known better."

Again, Tawny reassured the girl that it was alright.

When they were almost finished picking up everything, the girls reached for a single item: a bright mint green pencil case dotted with drawings of plump, pink vampire bats.

When their fingers touched, the other girl clumsily withdrew. "Oh, sorry, it looked just like my pencil case," she said.

"It's okay," repeated Tawny as she picked it up, "This actually might be yours since mine is a lot older."

Her eyes flicked over to an identical pencil over on their left, which was scuffed up with age and usage.

After picking that one up and hold both in her hands, Tawny beamed, "Ooh, you like Amelia Bass, too?"

"Huh?" The girl, who hadn't even considered that Tawny would make casual conversation with her, paused with a stack of books clutched to her chest. "I mean, yes. I really love the pastel goth style it has. I just got a new set of Amelia Bass school supplies this summer."

The girl seemed to ease up, as the carefully applied black lipstick on her face curled into a content smile. Her skin was a smooth creamy brown, almost faded, but her makeup created a soft appearance. Her silky black hair fell across her black and white blouse, a french braid separating the mass from the straight bangs above her eyebrows.

"Did you know the whole brand is actually made by a single woman named Amelia Bass? She started the entire franchise by herself from a single website, and it's still up today! She even makes short little animations using-"

The girl suddenly stopped herself, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Sorry for rambling. I know you have to be somewhere."

"It's okay, really! I enjoyed listening," said Tawny, "And, you don't have to apologize so much."

"Oh, sorry," the girl said, "I mean…! Geez..."

The girl sighed in mild embarrassment at her slip up.

Tawny chuckled and extended a hand to help her stand up. "My name is Tawny, what's yours?"

The girl blinked as she was pulled up to her feet, caught off-guard by the welcoming interaction. "I-It's Raven," she stammered, shyly.

"Raven," Tawny nodded as she repeated the name to confirm that she heard her correctly, "I don't think I've ever seen you around school until now, but you seem pretty neat!"

The blush on Raven's cheeks wasn't visible past her foundation, but it was evident in her expression. "Ah-h…? Seriously?"

"Totally!" said Tawny "I've got to go to class now, but I hope we meet again, soon."

Raven looked away, hiding a smile. "I, yeah, same to you…" she stuttered.

With that, the two girls departed, the latter of which looking over her shoulder once.

* * *

Chapter complete.

Congratulations, you've earned a Memory Scrap!

I saw her under the apple tree, late at night when the crickets were chirping. The moon was shining more than ever, casting a shadow under the flourish of apple blossoms. I struggled to limp up the hill, but I had to get to her.

From her dark lips, smoke slipped around her words as she sang to me:

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

They strung up a man

They say who murdered three

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree"

 


	2. General Route: Monday, August 20th (continued)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think now is a good time as ever to say that some of the things in this story are based on real people and events, but I’ve switched them around amongst the characters to protect the identities of those involved.

The sun beat down on the students as their sneakers scuffled against the jasper colored track. After school, such a track was only used by the top runners of the student body, but during school hours, it served as a decent warm-up for P.E. classes.

"C'mon, people! Pick up the slack!" hooted one of the co-gym teachers, "You call that running?"

The other gym teacher, hardly fitting the description of "physically fit", chuckled at his partner's sarcasm, "You're really invested in your job, aren't you, Cyrus?"

Cyrus gave a sort of scoff, "I just know sissy running when I see it. Even with my condition, I could outrun these kiddies."

Tawny ran past the two gym teachers, barely catching the word "kiddies" on the edge of her ear. It didn't bother her so much to hear teachers bad-mouthing their students. If anything, she had come to expect it.

"Low pay, bratty students, endless piles of papers to grade?" she thought, "How can you not complain?"

Tawny caught up to speed with a girl whose features mirrored those of one of the coaches. Both were Asian with olive-toned skin, green eyes, and charcoal black hair. Their thicker eyebrows and the distinct arch of their noses made it clear that they were of some familial tie. The only thing that separated them—besides, of course, one being an adult male and the other a teenage girl—was the freckles dusted across the girl's face.

"You'll have to excuse my dad," she told Tawny with an unapologetic roll of her eyes, "He's a really obnoxious jock."

Unlike most people, the girl was able to keep her breath mildly steady as she ran, hardly even breaking a sweat or showing signs of fatigue.

"Co-Coach Crawford is yo-your dad?" Tawny huffed.

"Sadly," the girl lilted with a sardonic tone, "I thought you knew that already, considering everyone's always asking me questions about him. I'm Jade."

"Tawny."

"Nice to meet you, Tawny."

The shrill shriek of the coaches' whistle signaled the students that they had reached their time limit and were now free to do as they pleased. Many rested in the grass. A few continued to stroll along the track at a leisurely pace.

Tawny was about to sit down when Jade inclined her head back on the track, "I've gotta walk or else he'll never let me hear the end of it," she muttered.

Without objection, Tawny leapt back up to her feet and followed the taller female, "So Jade, what did you mean a minute ago when you said people keep asking about your dad?"

"Ah, it's pretty embarrassing," the girl said through a snorted chuckle, "But people seem to think he's one of the coolest teachers in the school."

"I guess I can see why," replied Tawny, "He's one of those, y'know, bold teachers that doesn't act preachy or uptight like the others."

"You can just say he's a dudebro, it's fine," Jade commented with a sly grin.

Tawny laughed, "You really think he's a dudebro?"

"Yeah, I live with him!" said Jade as if it were obvious, "And honestly, I do not need the extra hour in the day spent with him."

"I can relate," said Tawny.

Jade redirected her gaze from the track in front of them to Tawny, her sarcastic grin diminishing. "You can?" she asked.

"Well, my dad's not a sports fanatic, but I know what it's like to not want to spend too much time around your dad."

Tawny's tone hadn't changed from its casual, charismatic nature.

The two halted their conversation as they passed by the coaches pulling out boxes of various sports balls for the students to play with in the designated fields.

As the kids split into groups and planned what sport they wanted to play, Jade asked, "Hey, you wanna just stroll around and chat the whole period?"

Tawny smiled. "Totally."

* * *

Tawny straightened out the bright green sticky note attached to her planner. It had folded in on itself at an unpleasant angle when she closed it, but in the hustle and bustle of the locker room, it was hard to keep things tidy.

Jade's cellphone number was pressed into the paper in scrawled handwriting, but Tawny could still tell which numbers were which.

"I know my twos look like sevens sometimes," she remembered Jade saying.

At the front of the classroom, the teacher set down the dry-erase marker she had been using to illustrate her lesson.

"Alright everyone, we're going to count off by fours and split into four groups, okay?"

She didn't have to further elaborate. Any student would know by now that this was a quick and easy method to divide the class into separate groups.

"One."

"Two."

"…Three."

"Four."

"…Oh, one."

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

The counting sequence continued as the teacher pointed to each student, a small pause interjecting whenever it was unclear who exactly the teacher was pointing at.

When she was finished, she gave a short clap and said, "Okay, ones over here, twos back there, threes up here, and fours over there."

With brief moments of confusion, the students arranged themselves into their appropriate clusters, sometimes waving over a member that seemed to be lost.

"You're a three, right?"

"I, yes."

"Okay, good."

Tawny's head lifted as she heard the familiar soft voice.

Adjacent to her, Raven carefully set her supplies on the empty desk and seated herself in a stilted way, as if uncomfortable in the new environment. When she noticed the bespectacled girl, she gave a soft wave and a ghost of a smile.

Tawny, instead, gave a verbal greeting, "Hey there, Raven. I didn't know you were in this class, too."

"Me neither, I-I mean, I didn't know you were in this class, too," she stammered, "I guess it's still pretty early in the semester, though. And my seat is tucked away in the back so I can hardly see anyone."

"Yeah, the same happens when you sit in the front," said Tawny, "Your back is to everyone, so you don't get to see who's who."

Raven nodded thoughtfully. "Oh yeah, I never thought of it that way," she said.

Just then, the teacher quieted down all conversations among the students and announced her instructions for the groups.

* * *

The monotone bell rang through the speaker below the clock, cutting off the last student to present his group's results.

"Phew, we made it just in time," the teacher sighed in relief, "Great job, everyone. I'll see you tomorrow!"

The sounds of shuffling and desks scraping against the floor absorbed her last words as students weaved around the classroom to gather their things and get ready to go home.

Clutching her belongings to her chest, Raven regarded the bespectacled girl beside her. "Wow, Tawny, you were really great back there…!" she meekly praised.

"Thanks! To be honest, biology is one of my favorite subjects," said Tawny.

"Really?" asked Raven, "I know a lot of people aren't too fond of science because it's a hard subject…not that liking it is a bad thing!"

Contrary to the girl's worry, Tawny wasn't offended. "Yeah, it definitely doesn't come easy, but everyone's got their niche," she said, "I mean, I watch medical shows for fun, so that says something right there."

"Oh! You watch those, too?" perked up Raven, "I love the mystery diagnosis shows. Trying to figure out the problem while getting to know the person is so interesting! And the revelation at the end and seeing them live a happy life while managing their illness is—"

The girl stopped. "Sorry, I know I'm holding you up."

"It's fine, really," Tawny then set her books back on the desk beside her and opened her planner. "Do you want to tell me more over the phone?"

Raven's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You mean, you want me to give you my number?" she asked.

"Well, it doesn't have to be your number," said Tawny with a shrug, "Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, I even still have my old MySpace page up and running!"

Raven covered up a soft laugh with her gentle fingers. "It's okay, I can give you my number," she said as Tawny pulled out the pen from the spiral of her planner, "I most likely won't be able to talk on the phone often, so we might have to text instead."

"Cool," said Tawny as the stepped aside to let the girl write on an empty space, "I can give you my number, too."

"Oh! Of course," Raven clumsily reached into her stack of books and pulled out her own planner for Tawny, "Sorry I can't reach my pen right now. My hands are kinda full."

"Don't worry," said the bespectacled girl as she pulled out another pen from her pencil case.

In a matter of seconds, the girls wrote down their numbers and returned their planners to one another as the last of the students left.

"Thanks," said Tawny, "See you later."

"You're welcome," said Raven with a bashful smile, "I'll, uh, see you later, too."

The girl gave a polite nod and hurried out of the classroom as if to catch up with the other departing students.

Tawny, instead, took her time and turned to say, "Have a good night, Mrs. Lockhart."

"Thanks, you too!" said the teacher as she waved to her last remaining student.

* * *

It wasn't abnormal for teenagers to work a part-time job. Many parents and kids alike saw it as an opportunity to for them to gain a sense of independence. However, such a feeling came at a price.

Tawny tapped her chin with her pencil as her eyes roamed the worksheet beside the cash register. While it wasn't openly against any rules to do homework during a work shift, the teen wouldn't want to risk admonishment for not staying as alert as she should be.

She glanced at the digital clock above her head, which read 7:59 p.m.

Tawny tucked away her homework into the folder sticking out of her backpack, preparing to close up the empty boutique.

That's when she heard the bell chime. It wouldn't have been so odd if it wasn't accompanied by panting and footsteps that threatened to stumble.

Tawny looked up and made eye contact with the woman, who gave a desperate gasp.

"Uh, hello, welcome to the Flamingo Boutique," Tawny greeted, "Are you…here to return something?"

"No, no," The woman strode up to the counter, trying to hurry while still looking dignified. "I needed to get an outfit and all of the shops were closing."

Upon reaching the counter, Tawny could see that the woman was actually a girl within her age group. She was a slender Asian girl with copper brown eyes and auburn hair in a neat pixie cut. Straight bangs poked out of her leopard print beret, and red heart earrings swung from her ears as she leaned over the counter. She adorned a black turtleneck, red shorts with black stockings underneath, and red high heels.

"Oh, well don't worry, one more customer can't hurt!" reassured Tawny as she came from around the counter, "It must be a pretty important occasion."

"Indeed, it is!" happily affirmed the girl, "My dad just told me that he's going to a corporate business party tomorrow."

Tawny rubbed her chin, "Corporate business party, huh? That's a pretty "adult" event, and he's taking you with him?"

"Naturally, I am his secretary, after all." The girl's nerves seemed to calm as her chest puffed with pride.

"Whoa, seriously?" gasped Tawny, "I thought you were a teenager for a moment."

The girl briefly furrowed her brow, then laughed, "I am a teenager! Seventeen, actually."

Tawny's eyes bounced in surprise. "You've got to tell me more, but first…" She guided the girl towards the clothing aisles. "Let's get you set up."

The bespectacled employee helped pick out a few business casual dresses, admitting to not being familiar with such events. The girl gave descriptions of the atmosphere and the tone to be expected to paint a better picture of what she needed, along with a few preferences of her own.

"I think three is enough right now," said the girl, "Where is your dressing room?"

"Over this way," said Tawny as she, again, guided the girl through the thickets of clothing racks, "I'll sit by the doorway."

"Okay."

The girl stepped into one of the tan stalls, locking it behind her. "I was so excited when I heard my dad tell me about the party," she said, continuing their conversation where they had left it, "Two big business corporations are going to be there so that we can intermingle and consider collaborating."

"That does sound pretty exciting," said Tawny from her post outside, "What corporation do you work for, anyway?"

"Cytopia Computers," answered the girl, "My dad is the CMO."

"What does that mean? Is it like the CEO?"

"Close. It stands for Chief Marketing Officer, so he deals with marketing the product."

"Ohh, I get it." Tawny's eyes roamed to the bottom of the changing booth, where she could see the girl's black stockinged feet step into one of the dresses they had picked out. "It looks like you're really ahead of the game! Most kids our age are still working retail, y'know?"

"I'm just so grateful to my dad for giving me this opportunity," said the girl, her voice wistful, "He even talks about how he has set me up for life so that I don't have to struggle like he did."

"He really sounds like a great guy."

The girl didn't respond, aside from a possible hum of agreement muffled by the sounds of shifting clothes.

Tawny played on her cellphone as the customer continued to dress.

Finally, the girl emerged, holding two dresses in one arm and the remaining dress in the other arm. "This is one is perfect," she said.

Tawny stood up. "Great! I'll take the other two back and I'll meet you at the register."

The two girls went their separate ways, Tawny returning the dresses to their proper place while the girl approached the marble-topped counter.

Tawny gave a light jog back to her post and made the transaction.

"We, here at the Flamingo Boutique, do you hope enjoyed your time here," the employee recited, somewhat mocking the posh way that other stores advertised themselves.

"I'll be sure to give a five star rating on Yelp," complimented the girl as she picked up the humor, "In all seriousness, though, you really did save me from a major crisis."

She then grabbed a business card from the many displayed on the counter.

Noticing this, Tawny said, "Oh, hang on just a second." She reached for the card and scribbled something on the backside before returning it. "There you go."

The girl inspected the back as Tawny tucked away the dress in a large plastic bag.

"Tawny (XXX)-XXX-XXXX"

Rouge flushed to the girl's cheeks before Tawny said, "I can help cover for some of your future events at the job. I know some good discounts we're going to have later on this season that you don't wanna miss out on."

The girl smiled, gasping in delight, "Really? You would do that?"

"Totally! I mean, it must get pretty stressful being a student secretary. Why not lighten the load?"

The girl giggled happily, but still tried to keep a mature composure. "Oh my god, thank you! Thank you so very much." She then flinched when she saw the clock. "Oh my, I can't believe it's gotten so late. I should get going so that you can close up."

Tawny's own eyes reached the clock. "Oops, I'm glad you said something. It looks like I really lost track of the time.

"Thanks, again," said the customer as she turned around to walk towards the exit.

"No problem!"

As Tawny picked up her backpack and began double-checking the things behind the counter, the girl turned around.

"My name is Scarlett," she said, "I forgot to tell you."

Tawny paused, "Scarlett, you said?" to which the girl nodded, "Well Scarlett, have fun at that business party! Tell me all about it."

"I definitely will!" said Scarlett as she waved goodbye.

Soon after, she left the boutique, the same bell signaling her arrival now ringing for her departure.

* * *

Chapter complete.

Congratulations, you've earned a Memory Scrap!

Yelling, screaming, cursing.

Hitting, crashing, breaking.

The muffled sounds rose from below my bed. Sometimes they stayed there and became the lullaby that put me to sleep. Sometimes they thundered up the stairs and erupted through my door, where the boogyman would grab me by the ankles and yank me into utter chaos.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run

So we'd both be free

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The memory scraps won’t be in chronological order, so it’s up to you/the player to piece together the story.


	3. General Route: Wednesday, August 22nd

Traffic had built up that morning because of an accident, limiting the number of the lanes available from two to one. With the absence of blaring ambulance sirens, it was best assumed that either no one was hurt or they were already ushered off to the hospital.

Rose spared the wreckage a glance as their car slowly passed.

"I pray that whoever was in the car is okay," she murmured.

"Same," Tawny squinted at the vehicle. It was a lavish bright purple car. She couldn't pin a name on the brand, but it definitely looked like something one would see in a rap music video.

Its front was curled dangerously around the lamppost, creating ugly creases and causing purple paint chips to reveal the silver underneath.

"It doesn't look like the damage made it to the interior, though," said Tawny as she pointed to the site, "Just the front."

Rose leaned toward the window to get a better look, and nodded in agreement, "You're right," she said with some solace.

Carter shook his head. "It looks like a case of drunk driving. The way he hit the pole is too unnatural," he said with a pitying glare, "Promise me you girls will be more responsible than that when you start driving."

"We will."

"Oh, absolutely!"

The blue Sedan moved up, but only just a little bit. At that angle, they were still caught in the sun's harsh rays. Even with the air conditioner blowing in the front, it didn't completely soothe the girls seated in the back.

Tawny tugged the neckline of her shirt in an effort to fan herself, shamelessly leaning her head backwards with an exhausted glint in her eyes.

Rose observed this, her soft cheeks flushing pink when she accidentally caught a glimpse of the other's bra. She quickly averted her eyes and fiddled with her cross necklace.

With the heat collecting inside of the vehicle, the blonde eventually found herself mimicking Tawny's actions, even blowing onto her chest to dry off the sweat building there.

The sound of Carter clearing his throat immediately made her head perk up.

Rose caught the knowing gaze of her father in the rear view mirror. With a flick of his eyebrows, she let go of her shirt's neckline and rested her hands in her lap.

"It's too bad we didn't get any classes together," said Tawny, "Not even the same lunch period."

"Well, it's not like a classroom is the ideal social spot," replied the blonde, "And we have the weekends and after school to hang out."

"But I work after school."

Both Carter and Rose responded with a surprised, "You do?"

"Yeah, at the boutique across the street from that Pizza Hut." Tawny motioned to her right. "On Nelson Street."

"I think I've seen it before..." said Rose as she looked in the direction Tawny was gesturing to, "Maybe?"

"Wow, so you just walk straight down there when you get out of school?" Carter asked, making a line between the school ahead and the long stretch of road.

"Not every time," said Tawny, "Sometimes I sit down and grab a personal pan pizza first."

Rose beamed. "I'm impressed, Tawny!" she admired, "Working while you're still in school? That takes a lot of commitment."

The other girl shrugged. "Well, when I get a goal in mind, it's hard for me to slack off."

* * *

The male teen cautiously caught the soaring soccer ball in his hands before it could zip past him or crash into another part of his body.

A proud smile crossed his features as he tossed it over the incoming players' heads, sending them running to chase after and repeat.

Jade swiped a layer of sweat from her forehead as she gazed at those classmates.

"It cannot be healthy to run around in this heat," she criticized.

Tawny fluffed her twintails and said, "I'm surprised no one's ever passed out from heat stroke yet."

The taller of the two snorted, "As if the school would take responsibility if they did. They don't even have a water fountain out here."

"It's probably for the best," said Tawny, "Do you know how many water fountains inside have warm, copper-tasting water?"

"Just use the ones upstairs near the teachers' lounge. It's worth the walk."

Just then, Jade's gaze deviated again and she muttered, "Uh oh, here he comes."

"Who?" Tawny turned and saw Cyrus approaching from behind. Although he was only walking, he was catching up quickly, but something in his gait seemed uneven.

"Hi girls," Cyrus punctuated his statement with a loose clap over Jade's shoulders. "Enjoying the walk?"

Jade rolled her eyes, but smiled as she said, "Yeah," while Tawny said, "Uh-huh."

With his arm still over his daughter's shoulders, Cyrus pointed at the other girl. "Tawny O'Connor, right?"

"Yessir!" she responded in her usual chipper tone.

The man's bright smile pushed up his sunglasses. "Ah, got it!" he congratulated himself, "Nice seeing you and Jade getting along. She told you I'm her dad, right?"

"Of course I did!" Jade spoke up, "It's only a student's best conversation starter: "Hey, see our teacher? That's my dad!". Never gets old."

Although there were laughs shared, Cyrus said, "I'm glad you do that. It really wouldn't look good for a male teacher to be hovering around a female student, y'know what I'm saying? Don't wanna end up like Mr. Watson. What a damn sleaze..."

Jade hissed in disgust as Tawny gave an discomforted shiver.

"I wasn't in his class, but I've heard of him," she said.

"Luckily, you didn't have to learn about him from experience," boasted Cyrus, "And now you've got me, instead!"

Jade smiled as though she were about to say something, but didn't. Even Tawny had to admit his boisterous attitude made the already strained topic even more awkward, but she kept her polite disposition. Who knew? Maybe he was trying to reassure them that they were safe now.

Just as soon as that topic passed, Cyrus brought up another. "Hey, why don't you two play a sport with some of your classmates?" he asked, "Don't you get bored just walking around the track for forty minutes?"

"Walking clears the mind," said Tawny.

"And I get my fill of sports in at soccer practice," said Jade.

Even behind his sunglasses, it was obvious that Cyrus was making an incredulous expression, "C'mon, aren't kids like you are supposed to have loads of energy,?" he teased, "And you know what they say. You've gotta use that energy while you still have it."

"It's not that serious, Dad," Jade giggled, "And could you move your arm, already?"

Instead of obliging right away, Cyrus roped Jade into a side hug and said, "I swear you're turning more and more into your brother."

Then he let go, combing his hand through his quiff, as he taunted, "Alright, I'll leave you two grannies to your little walk."

"Thanks!" Jade called over her shoulder as he returned to his post.

Tawny waited until she was sure the coach was gone before questioning, "Grannies?"

Jade sighed, pinching her brows together, "Part of his dudebro lingo. He basically just called us "special snowflakes"."

The bespectacled girl eyed the faint discoloring around Jade's collarbone.

"Harsh," she said.

* * *

Tawny leisurely walked down the sidewalk, the softer sun casting much more merciful rays of heat than it had earlier.

Her cell phone screen reflected on her glasses, displaying the calendar app she had open.

[Wednesday- Off day]

"I want to get a head start on my homework and turn in early for the night," thought Tawny, "But I could really use the money right now."

The corner that separated the path to her home from the path to the Flamingo Boutique was approaching slowly. Tawny debated in her mind which decision she valued more, elongating her time to think by shortening her speed.

"Emily!"

The urgent voice of a young female snatched Tawny's attention.

Not too far away from her, a concerned woman stood on the edge of the park with her hands cupped around her mouth. Her hickory brown hair cascaded over one shoulder, revealing her skin of just a shade lighter. Her orange button down shirt was rolled up to her elbows and tucked into a pair of khakis.

It was obvious to Tawny that the woman was a mother who had lost sight of her child.

She put away her phone and rushed to her side.

"Excuse me," Tawny inquired, "Do you need help?"

The woman's ginger eyes darted to Tawny, "Oh yes, please!" she breathed, "I lost my sister, Emily. She's three years old, wearing tan overalls and a pink Barbie shirt, and she's got curly hair tied up in a little ponytail up top and, and…!"

"Clementine!"

A squeaky voice called out to the woman, putting her ramblings to a stop.

Tawny turned around and saw the girl described held in the sturdy arm of a teenage girl. She was black and heavy in build. Her blue eyes popped against her mahogany skin, but they sank into pools of exhaustion. The stick of a lollipop rested between her plump lips, almost mimicking a cigarette. She seemed to have no qualms with the small child gripping the blue vest over her elbow-sleeved top, nor the way her tiny foot scraped against her black jeans.

Clementine held her hand over her heart as he gave a weighty sigh of relief. "Thank god…" she murmured under her breath with her eyes closed in a brief prayer.

Tawny stepped to the side so that the girl could hand Emily over to Clementine.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" she praised as she cuddled the small child and kissed her forehead, "I was so worried! Where was she?"

The blue-clad girl inclined her head, shaking her loose afro. "Just over by that thicket of bushes. She was looking at a bird's nest," she said, "She wasn't in danger or anything, but it is hard to see that corner with all those bushes."

Despite the circumstance, the blue-clad girl gave off an aloof aura. Her voice was calm, but not monotone.

"Well, thank goodness you stepped in," said Tawny, "I was just about to join in the search, too."

The blue-clad girl gave a small shrug. "I was just chilling out when I saw her getting a little far from the playground," she said, "Then I heard somebody calling out a girl's name, and I figured she might have gotten lost."

Clementine gave another tired sigh of relief. The experience had clearly shaken her.

Letting her forehead rest against Emily's, she said, "Please don't go too far away from me, again, Emily. If you want to go somewhere, come ask me first, okay?"

The child seemed to pick up on the emotion in Clementine's voice and nodded and with an embarrassed hum.

"Babysitting?" asked the blue-clad girl.

"I guess you could say that," said Clementine, "She's my sister."

The small jump of surprise in the girl's blue eyes showed Tawny that she wasn't the only one who thought otherwise. From the way Clementine carried herself, one would assume that she was older, but neither girl voiced that.

"I think now would be a good time to head home for dinner," she said with a tired smile.

"I'm hungry," Emily mumbled.

Getting a better grip on the child, Clementine reassured her, "I'll cook up something nice."

She looked up to other two and said, "Thank you, ladies, so much. Is there any way I can repay you?"

Both girls gave their own forms of denial at the same time, Tawny saying, "Oh, I didn't really do anything. The credit goes to her."

The blue-clad girl simply gave a small wave and said, "It's nothing. Anyone would've done it."

"I would hope so," Clementine half-scoffed, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get this little girl home."

"Have a good night, then," the blue-clad girl said as Clementine turned on her heels to leave.

"And stay safe!" added Tawny.

Clementine walked towards a modest tan car parked on the curb. Though it wasn't the standard Soccer Mom Minivan, it was still easy to see her as another mother toting her child to their car.

"I really thought she was another mom," said Tawny, "Do you think she's a teenager like us?"

"Maybe," responded Azura, "I mean, teenagers can be moms, too."

"Right…"

There was a minute pause filled only by the sounds of children playing in the distance, chirping birds, and zipping cars.

"Hey, I'm off from work today and I was thinking of relaxing at a park like this," started Tawny, "Would you mind if I just hung out with you?"

The blue-clad girl gave a simple shrug. "Knock yourself out," she said, "The name's Azura, by the way."

"I'm Tawny. Nice to meet you."

Azura rolled her shoulder as she pivoted the other way. "Let's go sit at the bench over here. It's where I usually chill out," she said.

"Okay, I'd love to give my feet a rest," agreed Tawny.

The two walked down the curved path encompassing the playground. Children played freely while a flock of mothers seated themselves at a few picnic benches. With how engrossed they seemed to be in their conversations, it made sense that they didn't hear Clementine's panicked cry on the other side of the park.

Rather than sitting there, though, Azura had led her to a classic garden bench.

Tawny sat down with a relieved sigh, stretching her legs forward with one ankle on top of the other. "I don't know why I never stopped by this park before," she said, "It's so cozy."

"It's not really a hangout spot for people our age," observed Azura, "Personally, I just come here because I like being around kids."

"Really?" inquired Tawny, "I'd think they'd be kind of a handful, sometimes, with how unpredictable they can be."

"Definitely not as unpredictable as adults," said Azura, "Kids are simple because they live in the moment. They don't have to think too hard about stuff."

Tawny nodded. "That's true, now that you mention it," she mused, "You sure seem to know a lot about kids. Are you a babysitter?"

"No, I guess I just sorta picked up on it." Azura adjusted the lollipop in her mouth to speak more clearly. "Seeing kids on TV or in public was enough."

"Yeah, you can learn a lot just from watching."

* * *

Baked chicken breast with steamed vegetables.

Judging from the look in Tawny's eyes, she was getting sleepy, so cooking that little meal for us must have stolen away some of the remnants of her energy. Regardless, she still had that grin on her face as we ate, albeit, a little dopey.

"Sorry I couldn't get dinner started early like I said I would. I stopped by the park to relax for a bit," she said as she poked some broccoli with her fork, "Since it was my off day, I thought of heading home right after school, but then this girl lost her little sister in the park. I was about to help her, but then another girl found her already, and we spent the day chatting."

I nodded as I listened to her story. My eyes wandered to the bit of homework she set on the table beside us. I wondered if she would even have the energy to do it. Tawny was a chipper girl, but that didn't mean she never ran out of steam.

"Honestly, I've had a really social week so far," continued Tawny, "I made two new friends at school, and Rose transferred back! And I guess if I keep visiting that park, "two" new friends may become "four"."

I wasn't surprised, really. Tawny was a walking ray of sunshine. She would leave a warm impression on anyone that crossed her path.

Her fork slowed as she began idly pushing her scraps around. "I know I've always been on pretty good terms with people, but I've never gone anywhere past "acquaintance" with somebody," she said, thoughtfully, "But I feel different about these new friends. Maybe it'll turn into something deeper. We could be like best friends or even...date?"

Tawny met my eyes for a split second and then laughed aloud, "Just kidding!" she cheered, "I know you think sixteen is too young for dating. I'm just messing with you."

She scraped the remains of her meal onto my plate, knowing I would eat after her. "I think Kana's really going like the good news," she said, "She might even make us some friendship necklaces."

She said this stroking the yellow knit charm hanging from her neck.

Tawny spent the night attempting to do her homework, reading aloud the instructions and her thought process as if I would understand. They didn't teach this stuff back when I was in school. Even if they did, it's not something we'd end up using in our adult lives, so I wouldn't remember.

Tawny's speech started to slur as sleep crept in on her. Eventually, the full weight of her body slumped against my shoulder, notebook still nestled in her hand.

It was cute, laughable, even, but I didn't want to wake her up.

I chose to cherish that warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Memory Scrap this time. Why? Because at this point, the player will finally be given the choice of which route they wish to pursue. If any of you have a request for which girl’s route you’d like to see first, comment below. Don’t worry about me delaying the story if I don’t get any suggestions. I’ll just press forward anyway.


End file.
